Python core dumping

[Curtis Jensen]

David Allen wrote:
> 
> I have a medium sized python application which is causing
> python to segfault under Linux at very odd times.  I'd
> like to get a core dump, so I can try to figure out
> what on earth is going on with it, and possibly post
> a bug report or something similar.  But as odd as this
> sounds, the application will NOT dump core.  The
> program I'm running does not use any C extensions,
> it's written in pure python.
> 
> I've tried using:
> Python 1.5.2 (#0, Apr  3 2000, 14:46:48)  [GCC 2.95.2 20000313 (Debian GNU/Linux)] on linux2
> and
> 
> Python 2.0 (#1, Dec 17 2000, 18:36:14)
> [GCC 2.95.2 20000220 (Debian GNU/Linux)] on linux2
> 
> Both after issuing "ulimit -c unlimited" which gives
> this:
> 
> [x at test pscr]$ ulimit -a
> core file size (blocks)     unlimited
> data seg size (kbytes)      unlimited
> file size (blocks)          unlimited
> max locked memory (kbytes)  unlimited
> max memory size (kbytes)    unlimited
> open files                  1024
> pipe size (512 bytes)       8
> stack size (kbytes)         8192
> cpu time (seconds)          unlimited
> max user processes          256
> virtual memory (kbytes)     unlimited
> 
> So the lack of core dumping is not due to my
> environment as far as I can tell.
> 
> I did not compile 1.5.2, that's the default version
> that's in Debian GNU/Linux (Woody) right now.  As
> for 2.0, I only "./configure"'d it with a --prefix
> option.
> 
> How can I get python to dump core so I can figure out
> what's wrong with my program, or alternatively, what's
> wrong with python?  Any help would be appreciated.
> 
> --
> David Allen
> http://opop.nols.com/

Try using pdb (python's debuger)  or even something like gdb or ddd. 
pdb would be more useful if the problem is in the python script code. 
gdb would be more useful if the problem is in the C code.  The problem
is probably in the C code.

-- 
Curtis Jensen
cjensen at bioeng.ucsd.edu
http://www-bioeng.ucsd.edu/~cjensen/
FAX (425) 740-1451